Home Again, Home Again

Wow. The whole ER trip with Jaina was thankfully a low point, as far as sickness went on our trip. The next day she felt better, and by Sunday she wasn't running a fever anymore. This was a huge blessing, because I don't think I could have traveled with her as sick as she was! By Sunday afternoon she mostly seemed her self, and Reilly stayed well, too! We got in a few visits Monday, then I packed all of Tuesday morning, and my parents drove us to Phoenix Tuesday afternoon/evening. We stayed in a motel there by the airport, and, though the night was a little long (those old metal port-a-cribs are tiny!) we got to the airport in time the next morning (our flight was at 7:35 am) and it actually went pretty well. There were one or two minutes there when I wasn't sure I was going to survive being mauled by my sweet little "lap child," and a few other where I wished she was one of those that would go to sleep in my arms when she was exhausted, but everyone was very nice and helpful, and we made it! And they didn't even lose our luggage! It was so nice to see Jeremy, and overcast skies, and our car! (I really had to watch it so I didn't smash their heads into the roof of my mom's Nissan Altima every time I put them into their carseats in the last few weeks...)
We stopped and got some late-ish lunch (moreso for Jeremy) at an "Oasis" on the outskirts of Chicago, (yum, Panda Express!) and then both kids konked out within like 3 minutes after that. Jaina slept about 2 hours, and Reilly slept more than 2 1/2 - almost all the way home! That is completely unheard of for our kids, so we counted it as another blessing!

A picture of Reilly on his favorite place, the trampoline!
With Sasha, my mom's labrador. Sasha is such a sweetheart, and I loved taking her on exercise walks with me, but for some reason Reilly is afraid of her! I guess she's just so big compared to him, he's worried that she'll get the best of him. (though he's safer with her than with either of the little dogs - a dachshund and a long-haired chihuahua mix) We usually chained her up when he was running around outside, so he wouldn't worry about her. Here he's obviously not worried... (he had been carefully dumping little rocks on her back, and went over to pet her with encouragement) Not sure what's up with that kid...
Jaina and her cousin Chloe (8 months) in the cute dresses grandma got them. Ashley and I got ribbon and I made them matching bows so we could take some pictures. :)
Reilly was actually getting pretty good at puzzles while we were there. I'll bet if we get him some 12-piece ones (my mom had a bunch of 25-piece ones) he could do them himself!
Even though she hasn't been sick lately, Jaina has sure been teething a lot - here she is with her prize: the Oragel!
My brother David and I during some intense card games. :)
Jaina has regressed a little when it comes to walking. With all the being sick she lost some of her confidence (she'd rather crawl or be carried right now) and possibly even some of the balancing muscles she had just started building up! Good thing she's so cute...
Here she is having fun at the hotel. Not ten minutes earlier she seemed near a meltdown because she was SO tired. Then -poof!- she found something to play with and was happy and smiley!
Here are our chiclets, passed out on the way home from Chicago.
It is so good to be home, and the kids slept pretty well the first night, and fabulously last night (no waking up at all!) Jaina did have a fever again all day yesterday, but it stayed low-grade, and was most likely teeth-related. I can feel her first set of molars trying to come in (finally), at least, and possibly her eye-teeth as well. If we can get those 8(!) teeth through soon, we might have a pleasant summer! I have a little bit of a cold, but if that's all I caught after the last few weeks, (and if we can continue to keep the stomach flu my family all has now from following us home) I'll count myself extremely lucky! The kiddos are already keeping me busy. I already have a picture on the camera I'd like to put up here (of what Reilly did today, AFTER his bath this morning), but I just uploaded everything this morning, so you'll just have to stay tuned... :) (Look at that innocent face - it can't be that bad!)